Love Sacrifices
by Mrs. Alexander Sterling
Summary: Sequel to Love Kills. After supposedly defeating the Maxwells for good, Raven has to move on pregnant, engaged and best friend-less. How long will it take before she's all alone? Read and review, rated M for language, violence and lemons.
1. Prologue

_Somebody should tell us, right at the start of our lives, that we are dying. It's a blessing to die, because you can so easily die for nothing. _

_A baby is something you carry inside you for nine months, in your arms for three years and in your heart until the day you die. Love is all fun and games until she loses an eye…or gets pregnant. The distance doesn't matter when you love someone so much._

_This ain't dying, this is living. _


	2. Inferior

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.**

**Enjoy! Please read and review. **

**A/N: This is the third and final installment to the series. So I'm glad I finally got it started and I hope everybody likes it. Yes I will be using a little something called a CLIFFHANGER frequently. If you don't like them, feel free to kiss my ass. (; Anyway, this is the sequel to Love Kills, which means if you never read my stories Love Bites/Love Kills you may have no idea what's going on here, so I suggest you go read them! I hope you enjoy and yes this story has lemons, another kiss-my-ass factor. And click that REVIEW button as soon as you get finished. Love, Mrs. Alexander Sterling.**

The bright light from the sun poured in through the black curtains hiding my window. There was no alarm screaming at my brain, which meant today was Saturday.

Whoop.

I rose out of bed, slipped my feet into Jack Skellington slippers and headed downstairs past my cranky parents and toward the coffee maker.

So here we are again.

As I dumped the lukewarm sludge into a generic coffee mug, I thought about my life and where it was at.

I could say it's perfect. Trevor's no longer my nemesis. The Maxwells have been defeated once and for all. I have a sexy as hell fiancé who loves me.

The only thing missing, is my best friend.

_You killed her._

Shut up.

_You let her die._

I still didn't exactly grasp the fact that she's dead yet.

Even worse…

_There's a little one in my belly._

Yeah, going on seventeen years, pregnant, engaged and officially a fuck-up.

_Mom and Dad must be so proud._

I'm not even thinking. Obviously, I'd love to go back in time and change everything. But I guess I have to make the best with what I'm giving.

I haven't even thought about my marriage yet. Of course I always fantasized about my covenant ceremony, but…when Alexander proposed, he meant a wedding for humans, right?

If I had a covenant, it would have to be vacant. There'd be no chance of letting my family be involved. It would be the only way to protect my soon-to-be husband's true identity. And mine.

My marriage of choice would have to be having a wedding, that I could tell the whole world about. Then to have the covenant follow after.

I'm positive this would be up to Alexander. He was, after all, the one who proposed.

Just then I felt a wet yet excruciating heat all over my hand.

"Shit," I muttered under my breath as I realized I overflowed the mug and spilled hot coffee everywhere while I was deep in thought.

After my parents left for work, I curled up on the sofa and pulled out my cell phone and started flipping through old messages between me and Becky. I pulled her name up on the tiny screen and began typing a message. Then I stopped.

And realized she won't receive it.

She'll never receive it.

I sighed and collapsed on an old throw pillow and closed my eyes.

I felt my phone vibrate in my clenched fist. When I flipped my phone open, it was a message from Scarlet.

_Hey babe, holding up okay?_

I gave Scarlet and Onyx, my vampire gals from the Coffin Club, a brief explanation of these tragic events the other day. Of course, I left some details out, like the fact that I was pregnant. I quickly keyed in a reply.

_There's something else, Alexander got me preg…tell Onyx 2._

After that, there was someone even more important to break the news to.

Aunt Libby.

There's no telling what her reaction would be.

I scrolled through my contact list, found her number and called. It rang only twice before she picked up.

"Hey Aunt Libby,"

"Raven, it's so nice to hear from you," she greeted me. "Is everything okay?"

"I'm not sure…" I responded.

"Is it Alexander?"

"Kind of…"

I was very unsure how to tell her I was pregnant. It was simple telling someone through a text, but over a phone call?

"Did her hurt you?"

"No," I swallowed and took a deep breath. "Aunt Libby, I'm pregnant."

There was silence on the other end.

_Shoot._

"Aunt Libby?"

I heard her exhale loudly on the other end.

I was prepared for the yelling and scolding. After all, I deserved it. I was an irresponsible, reckless teenager who's now pregnant and about to flunk out of high school. But what surprised me were her next words.

"I got pregnant with your father when I was fifteen," Aunt Libby confessed.

Well, that was quite a shocker. Even though that explains why she isn't the oldest of my aunts and uncles, and that dad turned out to be some hippie on crack. Go figure.

"I'm sorry Aunt Libby," my eyes began to well with tears. "I was irresponsible and we just weren't thinking and-"

"I'm not mad at you," she cut me off with that great relief. "It's just that when it happened to me, my boyfriend left me."

"Wow," I really didn't know what else to say.

"Yeah…I just don't want Alexander to do that to you too, hon."

"Trust me Aunt Libby, he won't do that," I told her.

"That's exactly what I thought too, but if you say so…"

"I'll be fine."

"Just in case, I'm here for you, every step of the way," she said.

"Thanks," I smiled, even though she couldn't see it.

* * *

Later that night, I made sure I looked sexy in a black tulle tutu dress, Mary Jane heels and I left my hair natural and a little messy. I decided to ditch the lipstick for tonight; it really sucks when it gets smeared all over your boyfriends face. I turned to the side in front of my full-length mirror and gently rubbed my belly. Of course, no baby bump. Yet.

_Wow, gothic maternity shopping's gonna be a pain in the ass. _I thought.

I was on my way to the mansion when I tripped over a jagged rock and I felt my ankle roll. I was in so much pain that I doubled over onto the cold ground and wept until I heard the latches on the door click and watched as Jameson stepped out. He glanced around, squinting in the dark.

"Miss Raven?"

"Over here…" I called back to him.

When he spotted me laying helpless outside the wrought iron gate, his eyes got even buggier than before.

"Miss Raven, what happened?" he questioned with concern when he (finally) reached me.

"I guess I just fell and twisted my ankle," I answered the creepy butler.

"Oh dear, need I wake Alexander?"

"Alexander's not up yet?" I asked.

"You've come an hour earlier than usual, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," I lied.

"Let's get you some ice, it looks like your leg is starting to swell," Jameson said.

"That'd be stellar."

Jameson supported my crippled leg while I aimlessly hopped up the stairs to the mansion on my stable one. He led me to an antique chair where I plopped down like I've been walking for days. He disappeared into the kitchen and came back moments later with a bag full of ice.

"Thanks," I smiled up at him.

"Will you be needing anything else, Miss Raven?"

"Nahh, I think I'm good."

With that, the creepy man went about his business and I placed the dripping bag of ice on my ankle and lay back, awaiting Alexander's awakening.

In a few minutes, Alexander, looking heavenly in a Cinema Strange t-shirt and grey jeans, appeared at the bottom of the stairs. He had his perfect pale lips curved into a smile but that was instantly faded when he witnessed the state I was in. Worried, he rushed to my side.

"Are you okay?" he asked, panic showing in his eyes. "What did you do?"

"Don't worry," he leaned down to kiss my lips. "I just twisted my ankle. That's all."

"And just how did you do that?"

"I tripped over a rock outside the mansion," I admitted.

Alexander sighed. I knew that if he could, he'd have every rock removed from this earth just to ensure my safety. Unfortunately, thanks to being a vampire, he wasn't capable of protecting me at all costs. And I knew that burned him inside.

"So there's a baby on the way…" I started, throwing Alexander and I way off topic.

Alexander knelt down in front of me. I caught a glimpse of sadness in his dark eyes as he propped my ankle onto his lap and held the ice on it.

"Raven…"

He hung his head, not daring to look at me.

"Look," I began. "It wasn't my fault, nor was it yours. We were both just irresponsible teenagers. Therefore, we both have to take the blame."

He looked up at me, now unmasking the shame he didn't want me seeing. I reached forward to twirl a finger in his stark locks, and his mood seemed to lighten a bit.

I swallowed before asking my next question. "Can a vampire and a human even have a baby?"

He seemed startled by this but at the same time, very uncertain.

"Will the baby turn out like Luna?"

"I honestly don't know," he shrugged.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and find out…" I sighed. "Nine months."

"I'm really sorry."

"Don't be," I reassured him.

"So, how bad does your ankle hurt?" Alexander asked, quickly changing the subject.

"It actually feels better, now that you're here."

He gazed at me a while before standing up, bending over me and locking his lips with mine in a way that made my head spin.

"Can I spend the night?" I begged as soon as we pulled away for some air.

"Do you even think your parents will let you?" he said, his expression stern. "Y'know, after last time?"

Last time, my mom made a stink of everything by yelling at Alexander and demanding my bra back from him.

"They'll probably say no…to me. But maybe you can convince them?"

He laughed, but surprisingly held out his hand and I set my phone in his palm. He went into the other room and started talking, but it was too hushed for me to hear. It was obvious they'd say yes to Alexander, he's too convincing.

While I waited, I decided to rest my eyes, but only for a minute.

* * *

I opened my eyes. I was still in the antique chair near the drawing room. I glanced through an open window. The night was silent with the moon high in the sky. Looking down, I noticed the ice was melted and the fire in my ankle has faded away. Alexander was nowhere to be found and by the looks of it, Jameson retired for the evening. I stood, dragging my ankle a bit and started toward the grand staircase. Alexander was for sure in his attic room, working on his next masterpiece.

I climbed the stairs with minor complication, meaning my ankle was definitely healing. As I approached the attic room, the door was left cracked and I could see how dark it was on the other end. I stepped in to find most of the room to be dark. On the far end of the room, where Alexander's easel sat, were black and red rose petals arranged in a heart on the floor, illuminated by candlelight.

Across from that stood a table, with two pewter goblets, one filled with Coke and the other filled with a thick scarlet, presumably blood. Along with that was some mouthwatering chocolate cake, which was my favorite.

I turned to face the area that used to hold Alexander's "bed" which was actually just a twin mattress that sat on the floor. Instead, the mattress had been replaced with a full-size bed, topped off with countless pillows and a morbid bedspread. It even had a sheer canopy above it, dripping down the sides in all different directions.

It was definitely a Goth's romantic dream, but where was my dark prince?

Just then I felt two arms slink around my wais in a tight embrace, pulling me close. Alexander rested his chin on my shoulder, nuzzling into my neck. I shivered in absolute delight. I could smell the Drakkar in the air as I fell under Alexander's spell.

I spun around so I could face him, but that made my ankle seem to explode with pain. As I was tumbling over, Alexander caught me and I fell into him. He kissed my neck, swept me up in his arms and carried me over to the bed. I fell back onto the fluffiness and he laughed.

"Why?"

"I figured you'd prefer something nicer," he said.

"You're mattress was perfectly fine!"

He chuckled, a heavenly sound. He leaned over me and when my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I realized Alexander wore jeans and nothing else. His naked chest was hovering above me, and I didn't hesitate to explore his pallid torso with my hands…and my lips.

I sat up and Alexander removed my heels. I giggled when he brought the food over to me.

We ate the cake, kissed and laughed. The only thing left was the goblet filled to the rim with blood.

"….aren't you gonna drink that?" I wondered aloud. He gazed at me with his mesmerizing eyes.

"You don't care if I drink in front of you?"

"Why would I?" I questioned.

"I thought you'd be grossed out."

"Me? Grossed out?" I laughed, but he didn't seem to find humor in the situation. Then I leaned into him. "Alexander…you are who you are and nothing's ever going to change that. And I never want you to hold back from revealing your true self to me."

He curved his lips in the slightest of smiles, then kissed my bottom lip. I moaned as he slid his hand up my thigh and lifted the fabric of my dress.

He pulled away too soon. He rose and walked over to the table and took the blood in his hands. He raised it to the moonlight, making the crystal twinkle just like the thousands of stars that blanketed the sky.

I stared as Alexander lifted the glass to his lips.


	3. Burned

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.**

**Enjoy! Please read and review. **

**A/N: Eek, I know it's been a while but this chapter just so happens to be filled with sour lemony goodness. (; Sorry it took forever, I've had writer's block FOREVER. I am so eager for Cryptic Cravings I think I might die…just about two more months to wait. Well, be sure to write that magical little thing I like to call a review as soon as you're done reading. I can't possibly update 'till I get enough, y'know. (: Love, Mrs. Alexander Sterling. **

His eyes never left mine as he downed the thick scarlet. It was beautiful. He set the glass on the table and wiped his lips with the back of his hand, oh those kissable lips…

In an instant, Alexander was on top of me, kissing me with suck passion I could hear my heart thudding in my ears, ready to explode. I gasped as he worked his way down my neck and to my chest, letting his tongue come in contact with every inch of exposed skin.

I let out a soft breath of a moan. "Alexander…"

I stood so Alexander could easily unzip my dress and let it fall to the floor, leaving me in my racy teenage lingerie.

I felt a little exposed in the dim light, so I covered my chest with my arm and felt my cheeks grow hot.

Alexander, with eyes full of sadness, gazed down at me. "You're beautiful," he whispered, and I calmly allowed him to pull my arm away and lean down to peck the top of my breasts peeking through the thin lace of my bra. I pulled him close into me as a wave of pure ecstasy overcame me once again. Alexander, in one swift motion, had my bra off and strewn across the bed post.

Then we were on the bed, hands everywhere, mouths alive and bodies on fire. He reached down and slipped his thumb under the hem of my undies and started pulling them off at my hip when I stopped him.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not fair," I smiled wickedly. "You still have your jeans on!"

He chuckled as I rolled us over so I was on top, one leg on each side of his hips, straddling him.

I dipped my head down to meet his lips with mine. "I love you so much."

"I love you more," Alexander said in a raspy, out-of-breath tone.

I moved my hips in a circular motion on top of him and I could feel the hardness already through his jeans. I didn't hesitate to undo his belt and pull down his jeans so I could see his massive erection pressed through the fabric of his silky black boxers. I eagerly finished removing those and his jeans to get to what lay beneath them.

Like a hungry vampire, Alexander took immediate control, sliding my underwear off my legs with his teeth. In an instant his lips were pressed against my womanhood, kissing, sucking, teasing…anything that made me moan and scream his name.

Suddenly, the tongue-play stopped. _How can he leave me hanging like this?_

Just then Alexander was on top of me and my legs were spread so I could allow him to position himself down there and start pushing inside me. Since it was only the second time we were sleeping together, it did still hurt when he went deeper in me, but that all went away as the thrusts turned from pain to pleasure.

"Let's fly," I whispered.

As soon as I shifted my weight and was on top, I decided it was my turn to take control. In my head I began to wonder how I, Raven Madison, the Goth girl who most likely had the least sexual experience in my whole school, was able to make any guy feel this way, let alone a vampire! Alexander groaned and placed his hands on my hips as I rode him with smooth glides.

"Touch me," I gasped when he hit my spot. "Keep touching me."

Alexander was everywhere and the volume of our moans was increasing violently. We gave one last energetic thrust and that was all it took for me to reach my peak. We both came in unison and I felt Alexander release inside of me.

I was so worn out that all I could do was collapse against him. Alexander didn't even have the stamina to pull out of me. Still connected in the most intimate way imaginable, he snaked his arms around me. He smoothed the strands of hair that were plastered to my face with sweat behind my ear. I ran my fingers over his sculpted chest and sighed happily, closing my eyes.

I realized how hot the attic was and opened my eyes to gaze out the window at the moon and all the twinkling stars that filled the perimeter of the night sky.

"Alexander?"

"Mmm?"

"I wish I could sleep under the stars," I said, eyes still fixated on the full moon, high in the sky.

He flashed me a dazzling, fang-filled smile and swept me and the blanket up in his arms. He carried me all the way to the top of Benson Hill. Laying in the grass, covered by Alexander's arms and the blanket, everything felt so _right. _I was safe.

With Alexander's soft breathing in my ear, I slipped my mind into eternal happiness.

(LINE)

_I opened my eyes to find myself face-to-face with Alexander's naked chest. I reached out to stroke the smooth skin standing before me. I felt two lips press against my neck. I looked up, seeing while tile. It was then that I realized I was in the shower._

_With Alexander._

_I was taking a shower with Alexander!_

_Our hands were everywhere, as well as our lips. Alexander pulled me against him in a tight embrace. I gazed into his eyes and smiled._

"_I love you," he breathed. He kissed my lips and slowly made his way down my chest with soft but fierce butterfly kisses. "So much…"_

"_I love you," I told him, moaning when he toyed with my breasts using his tongue. I placed my hands on the back of his head, tightening a fistful of his wet hair in my hands. "I need you. Now." _

_All of a sudden the water turned frigid. Alexander pushed me further into the spray of the shower and placed himself between my legs. The water was hitting my face, my legs, everywhere._

"_What the hell?" I heard Alexander yell._

My eyes flew open and I was staring up at the sky of dawn. The sun was just beginning to rise. I sat up with a jolt and saw that Jameson was spraying Alexander and I with the garden hose! Then I realized that if the sun was up, Alexander couldn't be out here! My heart practically skipped a beat when he screamed, desperately trying to shield himself from the sun with the blanket we used last night.

"Alexander!" I cried, trying to help him get inside before any of his skin was exposed to the sun. I didn't even care that I was naked in front of Jameson, of all people. I just wanted to bring Alexander to safety.

I threw the blanket over his head and Jameson took his good old time sauntering over to assist me. I was so nervous I felt like puking. I didn't want him to get hurt.

It felt like an eternity had passed before we finally reached the back door of the mansion and shuffled inside. We went to the dining room, one of the darkest rooms in the house. Mainly because there were no windows. Alexander looked me up and down and I blushed when he awkwardly handed me the blanket so I could cover myself.

"What the hell were you doing out there?" His eyes were really bugging out of his head at this point.

"Raven wanted to sleep under the stars…" Alexander defended me. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

"Just…just get that thing out of here," Jameson ordered. "Would it kill you to put some underwear on? No need to show off."

_He sounds jealous, _I thought to myself. I blushed and looked down. Alexander _was_ big…and I certainly didn't mind him showing off!

He creeped on over to the kitchen and we took of for the stairs like two bats on their honeymoon. We doubled over laughing on the bed.

All of a sudden, it got quiet. Alexander's gaze seemed to bore through my soul. I was on top of him and it was as if we were the only two people in the world. I kissed him ferociously on the mouth. I kept kissing farther and farther down until his manhood was right under my nose. He was definitely hard. I wrapped my lips around the tip and slid my lips down his shaft and back up again. Alexander let the sexiest sound in the world escape his lips. I sucked him as hard as I could and he weaved his fingers through my hair, pushing my head down.

"Faster, Raven," he breathed. "Oh!"

I sped up and he finally came inside my mouth. I managed to swallow everything. He tasted pretty good. I lay upon his chest and he stroked my back.

"That was amazing," he confessed.

"It was?"

"Yes."

"Wow…"

"Where did you learn how to do that?"

My cheeks grew hot. "Nowhere," I admitted.

"Must be natural." he winked at me and we both laughed. I kissed him some more.

"Maybe we should go in your coffin?" I suggested.

He smiled, flashing his fangs and we rose. He threw on his boxes and I put my bra and panties back on. He grabbed my hand and we went to the claustrophobic closet that held his coffin. He lay down and pulled me on top of him. I closed the lid and we snuggled in the everlasting darkness.

"I can't believe you're gonna be a father soon," I whispered into his neck.

"I can't either," he replied. "I'm so glad you're having my baby. I love you so much."

"Me too."

(LINE)

I awoke several hours later in a daze to find that I was alone in the coffin. I began to worry.

_He's probably just showering, _I began to wonder. _Or setting up a romantic breakfast…?_

That's when I realized my stomach was growling. I got out of the coffin, letting the microscopic light on the half-melted candle guide me in the direction of the door. I stepped into the soft glow of the setting sun. I pulled on one of Alexander's grey t-shirts and went downstairs in that and my panties. I stopped when I heard voices just outside the foyer. I ducked behind an ancient grandfather clock to listen. Alexander appeared to be on the phone with someone.

Alexander sounded gravely upset. I peered over at him and listened.

"I'm leaving tomorrow night," was all I heard before he hung up the phone. He turned to face me, as if he already sensed I was behind him. I took a step forward. He looked down at me with sad eyes.

"Leaving? Where are we going?" I asked, confused.

Alexander turned away.

I raced over to him, heart beginning to break. "Alexander!" I pleaded.

I turned his head with my fingertips, forcing him to look at me. He held me in his arms.

"It's my father," he began. "He's been burnt."

"Burnt?" I felt my eyes grow wide with horror. "Was there a fire?"

Alexander gave me a pained look, and then I realized the seriousness of this. Alexander's father had been burnt by the sun, and Constantine needed his only child to be there for him.

"Is…is he okay?"

"I…don't know…"

I hugged Alexander for what seemed like forever. _One tragedy after another, _I thought.

"You should head back home."

"I don't believe you're leaving me," tears streamed down my face. I turned away from him.

I heard him sigh sadly and he came up behind me. "I'll be back before you know it," he tried to reassure me. "Besides, you have school." He grinned.

"Who says that's important?" I joked back. He chuckled.

"Just be safe."

"I'm gonna miss you so bad," I cried.

"Me too."

As the sun started to set, we climbed the stairs leading back to his attic room.

For the next few hours, we continuously snapped the springs on Alexander's twin box spring, causing the house to quake with lust-filled avalanches and screams.


	4. Alone

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.**

**Enjoy! Please read and review. **

**A/N: Damn! It's been like, what, four months? My most sincere apologies! I've been so busy I almost forgot about this story. I wonder if anyone's even gonna bother reading it now, heh. Well, if you are still keeping up with the story, here's the next chapter!**

Here I sit in this shitty desk chair in a room adorned with "motivational" posters in which are minorly entertaining to read while the teacher yaps on and on about Shakespeare…not my kind of literature…I wish she'd enlighten us (well, mainly just me) with some straight-up Anne Rice or Poe.

Trevor is in front of me, as usual. We still haven't spoken much to each other since…Becky's funeral. I glanced to my right to see her empty desk where she used to sit and sighed. My heart breaks more and more with every blessed memory between me and that girl, I was choking back tears now, and to make things worse, today marks the day of three weeks since Alexander and Jameson left.

All I've really gotten from him were a few bouquets of roses and a few texts, telling me things were bad with his father and that he misses me and loves me and hopes I'm okay with "our" baby. He promised he'd explain to me everything when he got back since it's too complicated to explain now.

What's so hard about it? A vampire was burned by the sun, that's, like, instant death, right? Or, mass-injury…but I didn't want to be a nagging girlfriend, and decided to give him the space he needed. Besides, I had greater problems of my own at this point…like…

All of a sudden there was churning in my stomach, pressure in my chest and bile beginning to creep up my throat. I sprang out of the desk, leaving my bad and books behind, and sped out the door, ignoring my teacher's concerned calls to me and the stares from all the other students in the class.

I raced to the nearest bathroom, threw myself into a stall and fell upon the floor. I stuck my head in the toilet as I emptied the contents of my stomach into the bacteria-infested porcelain. There was vomit in my hair, but I didn't care…all I could think about were the black spots dotting my vision and the excruciating pain in my stomach. Tears were streaming down my face. This felt worse than regular puking, worse than the time I had the flu a few years back…was morning sickness supposed to be worse?

It's not even morning anymore, and I remember reading online last week that morning sickness was nothing to worry about, but fuck, this _hurts._

I heard footsteps behind me and groaned into the bowl. I sensed someone stepping into the stall behind me and laying a strong, muscular hand on my back and rubbing it in soothing circles.

I turned, cloudy-eyed, to find Trevor staring down at me with a worried expression. He had my bag as well as his slung over my shoulder.

"What are you-" I began to question but before I could finish I whipped my head back around for another session of hurling. He swept my sticky black hair into his fingers, brushing it back like he was making a pony-tail to keep the mess out of my hair.

When I was done, I closed my eyes and leaned against the seat for a few minutes. My stomach was still burning and I was sweating and panting, but I didn't feel anything else coming back, relief at last.

"Trevor?" I choked out. He took toilet paper and wiped the chunks from my chin and picked me up in his arms. It felt wrong, being in someone else's arms that clearly weren't Alexander's, but it was just the comfort I needed at this point, since I felt like I was about to die from puking, and I doubt I would be able to walk myself around the school without falling down the stairs or something else totally reckless that falls into the "dumbass tipsy pregnant chick" category.

"Let me take you to the nurse."

With that I was carried out of the bathroom, turned down the hall and slowly beginning to be walked cradled in my nemesis' arms. A loud female voice made me cringe, and Trevor jumped, startled. He turned to see the vice principle headed towards us, dressed in an unflattering pantsuit and overly-glamorized cat's eyeglasses. She had her pen and pink pad out, scrawling something predictable down on the paper.

"What were you doing in the women's restroom, Mr. Mitchell?"

Trevor gestured to me, shrugging his shoulders and replying in a calm voice with, "Raven here is sick. I found her vomiting in the bathroom and figured I'd help her to the nurse."

"That doesn't answer my question," she shook her head, ripping off the sticky note to hand to Trevor. "And not a legitimate excuse. That is a violation of school conduct and I think you've well-earned yourself a detention."

"She really is sick," he told the woman, who glared down at me.

"Then what in the heavens are you doing standing here telling me about it? Take her to the nurse, then it's back to class."

"Understood, ma'am."

Trevor, quickly this time around, escorted my to the nurse and approached the counter where a horrified nurse was seated.

"She was throwing up in the bathroom," he simply explained and proceeded to lay me down on one of the unattractive spinach-green cots on the other side of the room. She wrote Trevor a pass to get back to class. I watched him open the door to the office, looked back at me and did nothing more than nod, then make his way back to class.

I sighed and closed my eyes. My stomach felt like it was on fire, and I just wanted to go to sleep. The second I was close to internal drowsiness the nurse came over and jammed the thermometer forcefully into my mouth.

"One-oh-six!" she exclaimed, racing to the phone. "You're going home."

_Pfft, like I was really gonna argue with her over that one?"_

A half-hour later my mother walked in the door, woke me out of my sleepy-trance and she and the nurse helped me stand.

"Can you walk?"

"Yes, I should be fine." I assured them both. My mother held my shoulder just in case I was about to face-plant onto the parking lot macadam and led me to her car. I sat in the front seat, closing my eyes once more.

"I think it's morningg sickness," I told her.

"It most likely was," she said with an emotionless chuckle. "You'll get used to it sooner or later, trust me."

I wasn't so sure I could agree with her on that one. What happened in the bathroom just barely an hour ago couldn't compare to any other pain I've had in my entire life. I took some deep breaths and the sleep came.

* * *

When I awoke I was in my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My hair felt like a bird's nest and I smelled like garbage. There was a note on my nightstand. I sat up in bed to read it.

_Raven,_

_Went to the pharmacy to get you some medicine. I had to fill out a new prescription so I'll be a little while. If anything's wrong, call my cell._

_Love, _

_Mom._

I crumpled up the note, haphazardly tossed it into my wastebasket and climbed out of bed. Without bothering to stop at the bathroom and comb my disheveled hair, I sloppily pulled it back with the black elastic band I had on my wrist and descended the stairs and entered the kitchen.

My mouth was dry and I felt clammy. There was no coffee in the pot, and since I didn't feel up to brewing some more, I figured some ice cold water would be just as refreshing. I filled the tallest glass I could find with ice cubes and water from the tap and knocked it back, drinking it all.

I was still thirsty so I re-filled the cup. It was cold, nice, but I was still so _thirsty. _It was unbelievable that I could be so desperate for fluids as I re-filled the glass again and again.

_Okay, now this is really weird…must be a pregnancy thing, I guess. _I set my glass by the sink and opened the fridge after realizing I needed to tend to my growling stomach. There was some un-cooked chicken in the fridge which I took out, heated up a skillet and dropped one slimy breast into the pan with a little oil, salt and pepper. On the back of the package it said 12-15 minutes were needed for the chicken to reach full-temperature, but as just three minutes slowly dragged by, the practically raw-but-warm chicken smelled like the most appetizing thing in the world. Without thinking, I grabbed a knife and fork from the drawer and dug in, eating right from the pan. It was good, and really wet and my thirst was finally satisfied. Once the breast was gone, I realized what I had done…

I just ate raw chicken.

And it tasted good.

And there was blood in it.

Oh.

My.

Goth.

I dropped to the floor, shaking against the linoleum. I took my cell phone out of my back pocket and dialed Alexander's phone number. I got his voicemail. Five minutes later I dialed again. I needed to talk to him, I was just so scared that I was clueless on what else I could do at this point. Voicemail again.

I snapped my phone shut and closed my eyes.

_What's really happening to me?_


	5. Hipsterville

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.**

**Enjoy! Please Read and review.**

**A/N: I have realized that my last update was practically two years ago. A while back I began to accept the idea that nobody really cared about Mrs. Alexander Sterling's little "Love" trilogy anymore. But alas, after checking my abandoned e-mail account after quite some time, I was proven wrong! You guys are still reading, reviewing and absolutely begging me to update this story! So, I figured I owed it to you. I apologize again, considering my writing style may have changed a tad, especially since I am halfway to eighteen by now. But I know it will still be appreciated! Thanks for all the enthusiasm and support in my writing, the countless reviews and favorites and all the encouragement! Well, here goes!**

_The burning sky struck fire and the pulsating flames rot with anticipation, blood dripping through my veins and seeping into various other vesicles in my body, including my flat tummy. Something was draining me from the inside out, I could just feel it as a gasped for breath…Raven…Raven…_

"RAVEN!" My eyes shot open like a fresh bullet wound to the sound of my mother's voice filling the kitchen. I was on my back in the kitchen, a little raw chicken seeping down the side of the oven and onto the floor. I felt her hands smacking my cheeks in a desperate attempt to jolt me out of my faint-like state. "What the hell happened?"

"Mother…" I breathed. In. Out. In. Out.

"Aww, honey," she retorted. "You must be stressed…Alexander's father in the hospital, your baby on the way, not to mention…"

"Don't even begin to remind me of her."

My voice was cold without even having to try. I barely realized it until I saw my mother's eyes soften in the utmost sympathetic of fashions. "I'm so sorry, Mom," I choked. Tears were welling up and the lump in my throat only began to expand. "So sorry for everything. I'm a terrible daughter, terrible friend, terrible girlfriend…"

She smoothed my wet hair out of my face and helped me to my feet. I stumbled over her and into the family room to sprawl out on the sofa, hoping to relieve myself of this sudden dizziness. I closed my eyes and the room stopped spinning.

"Look, honey, I got you some medicine." She gently placed a little black bag on the coffee table and a bottle of ginger ale next to it. She sighed, looking down at me. I couldn't help but feel like such a pity. Getting pregnant at seventeen! I never wanted this. She especially never wanted, or even expected this. As rebellious and adventurous as I may be, somewhere deep down I knew she knew I was responsible when it came to the unthinkable. I've seen enough Dr. Phil, Oprah, Maury and True Life episodes to mindlessly have sex without protection.

_But you did._

Shut up, he's a vampire, what was I to know?

_How else do they reproduce? Think about it, retard._

I shook my stupidity out of my head gazed at the white walls adorned with family portraits and old photgraphs, focusing directly in on a photo of Aunt Libby holding a snot-ridden baby Billy in her arms with my placed happily on her left thigh, smiling at the camera in my black overall dress and signature kiddie combat boots, purple lipgloss shining bright in the glare of the camera.

"Mom!" I shouted, springing into an upwards position.

"Careful!"

"I am, I am," I said, feeling valiant. I trotted over to her and hugged her. "I know just what I need!"

"You couldn't tell me _before _I went to the drug store?" she snapped.

"No! Don't you see? This isn't something you can pick up at a CVS. This isn't even something you can order off of GoodGoth's online catalog," I smiled and placed my hands on each of her shoulders. "I need Aunt Libby!"

"Raven, I don't know, school just barely started…" she trailed off. "Can't you wait for the winter holiday? Or at least Thanksgiving break?"

"You don't get it…" I flopped back onto the tan suede sofa cushion. "I need to get out now. I just can't stay here any longer, with Alexander gone and without a best friend."

"Libby is the next best thing to a friend," she realized, tucking a strand of her sandy-blonde hair behind her ear.

"Pleaaaaase, Mommy?" I begged, shooting the puppy-dog-eyed look at my mother.

"I suppose you can," she finally agreed to my request. "Just try not to make yourself too much at home while you're there, alright?"

"Got it!"

* * *

Happy and excited to finally get out of Dullsville and enjoy the closest thing I had to a vacation with my crazy-cool Aunt down in Hipsterville, I ran up to my room and hopped in the shower. I felt the warm water rush down my pallid back, glopped some of my favorite shampoo onto my dark locks and closed my eyes, getting lost in my daydreams and fantasies. _Oh, how nice it would be to be in Alexander's arms right now, under a stream of water, washing each other…_

My heart began to hurt a that one very thought. I need to stop thinking too hard of him in this current moment. It will only make me miss him loads more, not to mention fear for the state of his father. After all my stress and all my losses, Alexander's support is one of the main things I have been relying on for stability. With him gone, I barely hold up, another reason as to why visiting Aunt Libby seems vital at the moment. I just hope he doesn't lose his dad. If we both have deceased loved ones, it would be inevitable how either one of us would be emotionally ready to take on marriage and, of course, the impending child.

I lathered up with m soap and glanced down at my belly. Still flat, but I knew just what was going on underneath the skin and muscle tissue. A little Alexander. Or maybe a little Raven. Perhaps a little bit of both. I have read old tales and stories of half-vampire half-human babies.

I hurried to finish my shower. One of the worst things you can do to a woman is giving her time alone to think. That's when she starts to go mad. I mentally giggled at myself, stepped onto my plush black rug and looked in the mirror, hoping to myself that one day I will no longer be able to look at myself. This mere thought seemed to be half out of shame, yet half due to my desire to become one of the undead.

Heh. The only problem with that is not being able to perfect my makeup with the advantage of looking as I apply my usual macabre facial plaster.

Lining my eyes with layers of charcoal, patting on some corpse-white foundation and completing the look with some purple lipgloss, I combed through my hair before wrapping the towel around my nude white body and retreating to my bedroom to pack for my trip, which would be who knows how long…

Preparing for the worst, I grabbed my Emily The Strange overnight bag and packed it full of lacy garments, hosiery, club clothes and pajamas. I picked my kitten, Nightmare up out of her two-story "cat condo" and kissed her fuzzy black head goodbye. Her only response was a hiss. I did, after all, wake her up after her first of a dozen catnaps for the day.

I ran downstairs to kiss mommy goodbye. "Tell Billy I'll miss him," I said, half-sarcastically yet I intended for it to be heartfelt. I was in the process of growing up, and I cannot sincerely hate on that little twerp of a sibling forever now, can I?

I walked out the door and down to the edge of the street where my father awaited in the family car, plopped my bags in the backset and buckled myself in up front next to him. He started down the street, embarking on the two-hour journey to Hipsterville. As I expected, the ride was not going to be a silent one where I could just listen to my iPod. No, we had to play twenty questions.

"Raven…" he started.

"Yes, Dad?" Here it comes.

"Why didn't you use protection?" He sounded sad, very sad, the saddest I have ever heard him. I use the word "heard" here because I cannot bear to look at his face during such a disappointing father-daughter moment.

"I don't know, Dad," was all I could think to say. "I-I was stupid, immature…"

"I just hope it wasn't my fault," he almost whispered.

"What?"

He sighed as we approached the turnpike. "Remember those stories your mother and I used to tell you? Of our hippie days, how irresponsible we could be…"

I replied with, "Mhm?"

"We obviously did not use protection…I mean, not that you were an accident or anything, it's just that those times were different. We love you the same as if we were actually plan—"

"Yeah," I cut him off. "I get it dad."

I felt a tad better knowing that we made a mutual mistake, however it isn't like Dad was a vampire living in a brooding mansion and mom was a love-deprived teenage girl spending all her time running from evil vampire villains…

"But I am still disappointed in you."

Obviously.

I reached across the ignition and grabbed his had that was gripping the steering wheel. Within a few seconds he finally relaxed and let out a breath of air. The silence between us was just enough to end the conversation. Instead of continuing our mutual emotional roller coaster, I reached into my cross-body and pulled out my iPod. I spent the rest of the car ride reclined in my seat, eyes closed and drowning in Al B. Damned's menacing voice.

* * *

When we arrived, it was silently nearing nightfall. The streets were packed from rush-our-ridden victims of their day jobs struggling to get home to their wife and kids or pet rocks or whatever it is Histervillians do in their spare time.

_Besides enjoy the nightlife, of course…the Coffin Club._

Papa Madison parked on the curb of Aunt Libby's apartment complex, causing me to fling my passenger side door open with extreme excitement. As I leaped to get out, I forgot to unbuckle my seatbelt and was held back by the vehicle's number one restraints.

_Shit, I'm fucking slow…_

Dad laughed, and the throaty sound was like music to my ears. It almost made me think…

_Hey Raven, everything is going to be alright._

I smiled to myself, undid my seatbelt and stepped onto the cracked concrete sidewalk. Dad already had my bag out. I surprised him with a bear hug, the greatest hug I could possibly muster at this moment. He hugged me back before kissing my forehead as a silent goodbye. The "call us every morning" and "be safe" comments were practically implied. I didn't even bother to watch him get back in the car and drive off. I skipped forward towards to brick buildings, all the way to the top floor and rapped on my Aunt's door louder than a drunk woodpecker in need of a box of Viagra.

Aunt Libby cracked the door, presumably afraid that someone would have a gun barrel sticking through the crack pointed straight towards her face or something. However, when she saw me, she whipped the door open so hard it slammed into the wall behind itself and retreated with a loud hinge-squeal. "Raven! My baby!"

"I missed you!" I exclaimed, not really knowing what else to say to this marvelous woman standing a foot in front of me. I adore her so.

She opened her arms for a hug. "It's been so long," she said. "This is such a spectacular surprise!"

"About that…" I began. "I truly am sorry for the short notice. I just needed to get away for a while."

She nodded against my shoulder and I stepped back to take her in for a moment. She wore lime green gaucho-pants, brown platform sandals adorned with beads and a corresponding top complete with a shawl blessed with a true hippie's fashion sense. Her long hair surrounded her slightly bony and middle-aged frame.

I truly looked up to this woman.

"No worries, Ray," she smiled at me. "You are welcome here any time. Oh, how I wished I had somewhere to run to when I was your age…"

I smiled back, feeling just at home once again.

* * *

We pretty much skipped all introduction and explanation as to my "running away for a few days" for that night. I admired how she respected that side of me. She was basically giving me time to let things wash over me until I was ready to open up about what was going on. And she knew I would. However, I was eager to get to the Coffin Club.

_Shouldn't a night of carefree dancing and partying take the ease off of this hectic life of mine, just for one night?_

I sat on the futon in the living room and brushed through my unstyled hair. Using my compact mirror I re-applied my black-on-white-on-black makeup and hair-sprayed all hell out of my hair. If there were any bats making their home in there, they'd be stuck for a couple of days for sure.

After about an hour, I was good to go in my tight black leather leggings tucked into white and black circuitry boots and a corset up top complete with a silver biohazard symbol stitched into the material on my left breast. In Alexander's respect I threw a black leather jacket over myself and flew out of there like a bat, strutting down the dark streets. It truly has been a while since I last went clubbing, and although I was content with my current relationship, the heads that turned as I passed by empowered me with such confidence I could have certainly exploded before I even made it to the club.

I passed Goths, Punks, couples, fat old men looking for a good time, assumable hookers, the works! I was in this nostalgic paradise. The only thing missing was Alexander's hand in mind…or at least a best friend by my side.

I tried not to let these dark thoughts ruin my night as I walked up to the overweight bouncer with a dragon tattoo on his bald head. He grunted, then stamped my hand, and I was finally allowed entrance into my favorite hangout.

Heavy Metal music was blaring, bass bouncing from velvety tombstone wall to wall, making the clubsters go wild with moshing, dancing and even making out. The usual vendors lined the walls in the back along with palm readers.

I didn't exactly know what I was doing here, especially alone. I must look totally inexperienced or even desperate. There was barely any obvious way to tell people I wasn't interested without actually saying it straight-up to them. Frustrated and confused but still excited as ever, I made my way up to the bar and before long I felt relief wash over me…I spotted an old friend! Romeo!

"Romeo!" I shouted over the music, but he couldn't seem to hear me. I waved and flailed simply because all the bar stools were filled with clubsters, some drunk and some unbelievably thirsty and looking for a non-alcoholic drink.

At the end of the bar, a girl with deep red hair snapped her fishnet-clad fingers in the bartender's face and pointed back at me. I sidled up between her and smiled, mumbling my thank-you before she could turn around. Her dark-stained lips flashed a fang-filled smile at me that filled me with absolute glee. It was Scarlet!

_Thank goodness._

She leapt off the barstool and we squealed in each other's arms as we girly-hugged in the middle of the club.

"Holy shit Raven I can't believe Alexander knocked you up!"

"Must you be so loud about it!?" I screamed back before we erupted into a chorus of laughter. I was practically doubled over when she grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards the couches in the corner.

"Onyx should be riiiiiiiight over here…some fag picked her up for a makeout, so I decided to tease Romeo while I waited," she told me with a wink. Her eyes glistened, and that told me that she was just excited to see me as I was to see her.

It took a lot of fumbling through pierced couples and drunken friends to find Onyx, whose hair now contained ultraviolet purple streaks upon the thick black locks of hers. A guy with long, curly blonde hair and a _Pantera _tee was all over her neck. Scarlet cleared her throat. No response. She cleared it again. Still no response. Desperate to get this beautiful goth girly's attention, we both coughed and sneezed and hacked and choked like we were on death's row until they both looked up angrily. Onyx seemed thrilled at the sight of me, but the hookup-boy, not so much judging by the way he got up, let out a huff and disappeared into the dance floor.

"Raven, it's so good to see you!" she kissed me on the cheek with a giggle, then proceeded to lean close and whisper in my ear, "I'm so sorry you're, you know…"

I felt sad inside. If I were older, my pregnancy would be more of a celebration to friends and family. Instead, it felt like a walk of shame. My old pals seemed to notice my discontent, so I knew they were about to attempt making me feel better again.

_True friends._

_Just like…_

"Let's dance!" They yelled at me in unison just as the sounds of Combichrist began to rock the clubsters into a frenzy.

For the rest of the night I ignored everything, ignored it all. We danced, we shook, we laughed, we sweat, we rocked, we tripped over each other a few times, but most importantly, we flew.


	6. Bubbles

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any of its characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.**

**Enjoy! Please read and review.**

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS A GRAPHIC LEMON. PROCEED WITH CAUTION, CHILDREN.**

"So, how good is Alexander in bed?" Scarlet cooed, lounging below me on Aunt Libby's white-carpeted apartment floor. I was sprawled out on her sofa with one of her hippie blankets adorned with a wolf pattern draped over my non-obviously-pregnant stomach and legs. I was shocked by her question, even though Alexander and I fucked like rabbits the last night we were together.

"Shut up you dripping slut," Onyx scolded, reprimanding Scarlet by pushing her propped-up shoulder down so her toned, busty and deathly pale frame sunk into the floor. I laughed at their antics and differences. "The best guys are the sensitive ones!"

"Okay, now it's _your _turn to zip it, Scarlet," I beckoned from the couch. "I'd kick the undead shit out of you two if it weren't for the growing vampire inside of me."

"I still can't believe your pregnant," she said to me. "Do you hope it's a girl?"

"I don't know, I guess…"

"I wonder if it's going to turn out like that bitchy Maxwell, you know I heard she only drank milk as a kid? What is she, a cow or something?"

"Ummm….."

"Stop it Scarlet, you're making the poor girl uncomfortable," Onyx defended me. "And pregnancy is uncomfortable enough."

Our gothic-girly laughter filled the room. Aunt Libby stepped into the room, her flowing caramel hair tied into petite braids that cascaded onto her shoulders where she wore a tan dress and eco-friendly sandals. "What's all this talk about pregnancy?"

"Thanks for letting us crash here, Ms. Madison," Onyx was so good at kissing ass. The three of us all knew well enough she'd be taking off by the time it reached dawn, and it was already two in the morning. I brought them home after our uber-tiring night of clubbing at Hipsterville's number one alternative hangout.

Aunt Libby smiled down at my friends before greeting me with a raised eyebrow and arms crossed. My Aunt Libby was the perfect family companion…except for when you're being naughty. Then she turned all serious-mother-like. And she just eavesdropped on the news that I was knocked up. Greaaaaaaat…..

I've never seen Aunt Libby too angry, and I guess today wasn't the day I was going to witnessed that because instead of doing what every teen girl feels the worst (the 'you-ruined-you-life' lecture, to be perfectly clear), she came over to me and sat on the arm rest of the couch I was laying on. I felt her fingers trace through my hairspray-matted black hair. I gulped before speaking, but Scarlet beat me to pouring my heart out.

"Raven and Alexander didn't practice safe sex."

_Oh my GOD. She did not just say that. _

"Couldn't let me be all innocent and Secret Life of the American Teenager about it, could you, Onyx?" I spat at her as Aunt Libby laughed.

"Aww, Raven, what in hell were you thinking?" Aunt Libby just dropped the anvil of feels directly onto my already-red face.

"I don't know, Aunt Libby," I trailed off, searching for the right words. All of a sudden I choked on a sob, failing to hold back the tears that have already started to flow. "I just wasn't thinking…and Alexander's father is hurt, and he's not here right now," I began to bawl uncontrollably and my two girlfriends also rushed to my tear-stricken aid. "I just want him here, I don't want to deal with this alone. And we're engaged to be married and I'm scared of everything…I just wish I could…"

_This is what I mean, I'm a hormonal female. Of course when I start crying about one thing I'm going to start crying about everything else that just isn't seeming to go my way._

Aunt Libby shushed me and handed me a tissue to wipe my eyes. I disgustingly blew my nose into the organic, aloe-vera-scented softness as Onyx rested her head on my tummy and Scarlet rubbed my leg.

Yep, I was just one big ball of feels right now.

"I don't even want to talk about it anymore," I admitted boldly. "I just want to sleep."

It certainly is astonishing how a fantastic, sexy night of clubbing can bring you so much happiness and in a matter of late-night hours your heart drops deep into the bottom of your pregnant stomach.

* * *

I don't even remember Onyx and Scarlet leaving. All I remember was picking my cell phone up and calling Alexander's cell. I didn't even care that I was ringing up an extra charge for the long-distance, or the fact that it was already nine in the morning and he would definitely be sound asleep right now. I needed him, the barely-there baby needed him and I know he needed me too. I could feel it.

"Alexander?" I choked out the minute the ringing stopped, not even bothering to let him greet me first.

"Raven? What's wrong?" He demanded instantaneously, sounding quite worried.

I was ready to pour my heart out to him, to beg him to come home, to scream and cry about how much I hate my life right now and how much I wish I could pull a Tardis out of my ass and change the past but my throat ran dry, my mind ran blank, and I could make absolutely no words except for, "Nothing. I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine…" Alexander knew just how to figure me out. Every. Single. Time.

"I am, believe me," I defended.

"No, you're not," he said. "I'm coming home right now."

"Home? But you're already home. In Romania," I pointed out. He was home right now visiting his father who apparently got burnt by the sun. It mustn't be that bad of damage because he was so ready to come back to Dullsville right away.

Alexander sighed loudly into the phone, and I recognized it as an Alexander-Anger-Sigh, trademarked by when Raven begs to be turned into a vampire or when she says something ridiculous, like questioning his love for her. But this time it was neither, so what the hell was up? His voice rose like a river during a flood. "Raven."

"My home is with you, where you are. I could never even dream of staying here in Romania, at least without you. It's where I'm from and it was my home for most of my life, but nothing is home without you ever since I met you. My home is with you on Benson Hill and nowhere else unless you and I are together. Where I go, you go, and Dullsville is exactly where I am coming back to as soon as Jameson gets my bags packed because I need you like I need my blood. You are my lifeline, Raven, and don't you ever doubt it."

I froze because his spiel was like a love letter sent straight to my heart. It warmed my weakened-from-dancing bones and I smiled stupidly to myself. Then, on a more serious note I told him, "Alexander, I'm with my Aunt Libby in Hipsterville. I figured since you were gone that I needed some time away from home, away from everything…" Sorrow accidentally found it's way into the sound of my voice. I wanted to tell him to stay in Romania, with his father, not to worry about me and that everything would be a-okay, but yet again I couldn't speak.

"Raven, I'm coming home. And if you're in Hipsterville right now, that's where I'll be in a matter of a few days. Home."

After muttering our "I love you"s we hung up and I flopped onto my back and read my texts. One was from the phone Onyx and Scarlet shared. Their name in my phone was simply a generic number, but I decided to change it to something a bit more classy…"Bitches." Perfect. Now, onto reading the text.

_Hey babe, we'll be outside your Aunt's flat immediately following sunset. _

_We're gonna have some good-old fun._

_You've guessed it; shopping._

Dear lordy…..

* * *

I rose off the sofa and padded into the bathroom near the lime green-painted kitchen and stripped out of my sweaty club-gear and stepped into the shower. After starting the hot water, I neglected the shower head because I got a better idea. How long has It been since I, Raven Madison, took a bath? Libby had a lovely bathtub, while it wasn't anything luxurious, it was a much better bath-environment than my immediate family's bathroom back in Dullsville…all attached to the wall and whatnot. I plugged the drain and spotted bubble soap on the floor next to the back of the ivory basin. I opened the bottle and took a whiff of the pink substance – roses. _Mmmmmmm,_ I thought to myself and dumped some of the bubble soap into the running water before immersing myself in it, letting the aroma bring me back to the days when Alexander and I first started dating and he occasionally presented me with roses during one of our dates…dead or alive.

I smiled to myself as I rubbed my abdomen that was beginning to feel a little more plump than it did last night. Or maybe that was just my imagination.

I smoothed my hand over my wet skin, my vision of my tummy blocked by the thick mass of bubbles forming on the surface of the water.

"You're going to be perfect," I whispered to myself, thinking of all the possibilities before suddenly being launched into a recent flashback of how this baby was even conceived in the first place.

_Alexander's hands._

I licked my lips, remembering the huge step we took in our relationship that involved deflowering me.

_So white, so comforting, so strong, so tantalizing…_

_His eyes, chocolate pools of love, looking over my naked body…_

Without thinking, I trailed my small fingers down past my midsection and onto my lovely parts. My eyes closed and I leaned my head back, remembering…

_His fingers touching me, teasing me, toying with me._

_My hips bucking towards him in delight…_

As if my thoughts spoke for myself, I bucked my hips into my hand, feeling the pleasure build up in the bottom of my stomach. After realizing what I was doing, I stopped, opened my eyes, and looked down into the flowery froth that was my bubble bath.

_I was fantasizing about Alexander!_

I felt my cheeks grow hot even though I was alone and no one knew I was doing that, it was still very embarrassing to me.

_Alexander's not going to find out, so where's the harm in…_

…_pretending?_

I sighed and lowered myself deeper into the tub, bending my knees and spreading my legs as far as they would go until my knees bobbed out of the water and my legs were each resting on their respective sides of the porcelain. I closed my eyes and began to let my fantasy of my sexy Knight of the Night take over my every thought.

I worked the soap up over my average-sized breasts, making sure to take extra care of my hardened nipples. My delicate spot was pulsating and throbbing at my very own touch, and the thoughts of Alexander only grew more graphic and vivid in my mind…

_Alexander's manhood was so gloriously fitting for me, his sweet chocolate eyes gazing into mine as the tip of him pressed against my opening, simply begging for entrance…_

The sensitivity grew as the tip of my finger traced over my womanly hood and began to rub it in smooth circles. I sighed happily and began to savor the moment.

_He slowly but surely slid into my depth, making sure to be subtle yet pleasure-delivering about the whole thing. I felt his length penetrate me until it found my perfect spot in the back of my little "cave."_

I kept rubbing myself until my fingers simultaneously crawled down to my opening, where I slid a finger inside my wetness from what clearly _wasn't _the tub water. My finger explored until I found the spot Alexander had absolutely no trouble finding whenever we got this far into it. My finger glided around and around, probing myself to the point of pure ecstasy.

_Alexander pushed in deeper, filling my whole womanly cavity. His lips brushed my neck, sending me into a moaning frenzy. Before long he was thrusting in and out of me_ _and my moans were escaping my mouth at a great rate. _

Two fingers were inside me at this point and my knees were even higher in the air than before. With my middle and index finger inside of me I slipped my thumb inside the very top of me to stroke my hard little nub as I finger-fucked myself in the bathtub.

_He wouldn't stop and I just couldn't live if he did, and he buried his face in my neck, speaking his dirty nothings into my tender skin._

"_Raven, I'm so close…"_

"_I know, love," I would answer, throwing my head back in pleasure as our moans echoed and filled his attic room. Alexander thrust a few more times, hitting every spot imaginable. Names would be screamed and backs would be scratched and breathing would be short as our love juices mixed in harmony deep in our cores following our in-sync climaxes._

I kept probing myself and flicking my clit until my breathing got all raspy and junk and before I knew it I was giving myself an orgasm. I dipped my head halfway into the water to stifle my moans so Aunt Libby wouldn't suspect a thing. My lower core throbbed and ached with so much pleasure that I literally sunk underneath all the water.

Breaking the surface and catching my breath, I began to touch on my tummy again. I closed my eyes and imagined the way I'd look month-by-month, eventually to the point where I looked like an absolute boat. I couldn't bear the thought of looking so…so…_massive._

That's nine months away.

I didn't want to wait more than a few months to marry my love.

And if I waited even one, I'd definitely show through my wedding dress. And the honeymoon would be absolutely unbearable with a tummy in the way and all...

I don't know how Alexander's going to feel about this…

…but I want to tie the knot as soon as I could.

**I hope you guys like that little self-on-self action in there. (: I promise updates will occur more frequently from now on! Thanks for all the encouragement!**


	7. White

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Kisses or any of its characters. It all belongs to the wonderful Ellen Schreiber.**

**Enjoy! Please read and review. (:**

I exited the bathroom and entered Aunt Libby's modern-marvel of a kitchen and sat down at one of the white barstools at her island. I watched as she swayed her hips, simmering egg-substitute and non-meat bacon in a pan. The smell wafted in my general direction, making me feel right at home.

I was decked out in my shopping's best…a loose-fitting _The Cure _shirt that hung off my bony shoulder blades over shredded leggings strategically tucked into my signature knee-high Doc Martens. These babies cost one hundred and eighty-five bucks! My hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, with short, wavy strands falling out at the front to frame my caked-up white complexion.

Aunt Libby knew just how to make me feel right at home indeed, because the next thing I immediately set my eyes on was the box of Count Chocula on top of her stainless steel fridge, eyeing me from across the kitchen.

"Aunt Libby, you're the _best," _I exclaimed. I hopped off the stool and quickly grabbed the box and poured myself a heaping bowl. I know where everything is in this kitchen from the previous breaks I've spent at my favorite Aunt's place. The very first time I've ever been here without my parents accompanying me was a couple of years back when Alexander mysteriously disappeared from Dullsville and retreated to the Manor House on the countryside-end of town in a desperate attempt to keep me safe from his nefarious arch-nemesis, Jagger Maxwell. Oh, the creep that man was…I'll never let _that _thing near my baby. Thank goodness word hasn't leaked out yet that I'm knocked-up in the first place. Oops, better knock on wood now.

I reached into the drawer next to the stove she was preparing her breakfast on and grabbed myself a spoon, poured all-organic soymilk on my chocolaty Gothic cereal and re-took my throne upon the barstool.

"So…" I began, wondering what to say to Aunt Libby. There wasn't much else I could talk about except the top three things on my mind: Alexander, the wedding and the impending childbirth. I decided Alexander and the wedding would be the two safest topics to talk to her about right now. So I enlightened my feminine-deep-down Aunt on everything from the engagement, the ring, my happiness, my wedding dreams and more and more Alexander.

She spun around on one heel, dumped the vegan contents of her frying pan into a bowl and sat down next to me and took a bite, savoring her own cooking in her mouth for a few seconds before choosing next to address me with concern.

"So, wait, you want to get married _now?" _She asked, still half-chewing on some of her breakfast.

"Well, not _now _now. I mean, I want to do it before the baby comes…plus, I also have to wait for Alexander to return from Romania."

"When's he coming back?" She asked after another bite.

"Now."

"Now?"

"I called him last night," I told her, slurping a mouthful of marshmallowwy-goodness into my charcoal-stained mouth. "Said he was coming now."

"How's his father doing?"

"I honestly don't know…"

"How can you not know?" She asked, clearly befuddled.

"He just never got around to telling me, I guess," I sighed. "He'll probably let me know when he comes back. I guess he's just worried about me."

"That's so romantic, but I don't know Raven," she started, closer to finishing her breakfast than I was now. "That boy is quite the mystery."

"Tell me about it!" We shared a laugh half-heartedly, and then I turned serious again. "I just don't know how he'll feel about my rush to get married so soon. I mean, shouldn't it be up to him?"

"I like to be the one in-charge sometimes, I don't know about you!" she told me, adding a non-awkward wink to the end of her sentence. If it was my mother, that moment would have killed me inside. With Aunt Libby, we're like sisters. I feel like I can honestly tell her anything.

_Except the fact that Alexander is a vampire….._

I quickly shook that thought from my head and went back to my cereal-slurping-gulping-fiesta before commencing conversation again. "I just don't want the baby to affect the wedding. I don't want to have to wear the dress when I'm too far-off."

"So this is about the dress, not how you or Alexander truly feel?"

"Well, no, it's about more than the dress, but—"

She cut me off. "But what? That's what you're making it out to be."

"I just…I know what I want."

_I wanted to get married, have a baby, have Alexander turn me during a Covenant ceremony and finally spend all of eternity with my true love and our magical result of all that love we share. Our child. Our son or daughter._

"I trust you," she told me with a smile. I smiled back lightly.

"So what do you want to do today?" She stood and went to wash our dishes in her stainless steel double-sink. "Shopping? Clubbing?" She laughed at the thought. "We could see a movie, or stay in and talk…"

"Actually, Onyx and Scarlet are taking me shopping around six," I told her. "I hope to pick out my wedding dress."

"Why, so Alexander will be forced to marry you on the spot?" She couldn't control herself after that snide comment.

"No!" I shouted. We both well-knew she was joking with me. "Goodness, no!"

We shared another smile before I noticed the sadness in her eyes. Aunt Libby wanted to spend time with me today, not to mention I was planning on wedding dress-shopping with two vampire girlfriends without my mother or at least bringing her along. I felt like it was only right in my heart to invite her along, despite what Onyx and Scarlet had to say about it, so I did.

She gleefully gave me an Aunt Libby-signature squeeze before saying, "I can't wait! This is going to be so much fun. I remember at my wedding with my ex, I wore ripped jeans and went barefoot. Did I mention I was wearing a Led Zepplin t-shirt?"

I listened to this for the next hour or so, while remembering a moment I had with my mother when I was younger and we were looking at her wedding memorabilia together one night when Daddy was working third-shift.

We sat cross-legged on her queen-sized bed that she shared with my father, thank goodness she didn't conceive either Nerd Boy or I on it, with her dusty box upon the bedspread between us. Mother beamed as she pulled out each piece one-by-one and presented them to me. A cake-topper of the newly-married couple, her veil, some photos and finally, her white dress. Back in the day the style she wore was a knee-length dress, although it was now yellowing at the fabric, I could still pick out the intricate details of the faint floral pattern, the silver beading and the high-cut neckline. It was long-sleeved, something I would not ever dream of my dress being!

"Mommy, when I get married, I want a black dress, a black veil, a black wedding cake with a vampire on top of it and a dead-rose bouquet," I told her, getting all riled up at the thought of my dream wedding. "And Becky can be my flower girl…"

"Oh, honey," she said sweetly. "You know it's traditional to wear a white wedding dress."

"I don't care…" I said, knowing that even as a bride-to-be, I would be anything _but _traditional about my wedding when the time came.

Her eyes were full of sadness at first at my persistence to a "traditional wedding" by her standards, but they immediately softened, probably assuming that I would have "grown up" by then. But hell was she dead wrong…

Aunt Libby snapped herself out of my daydream by the sound of the shower starting up. And then I realized again…

_She…_

_Be—_

_She won't be my flower girl, maid of honor, bridesmaid, anything._

I sighed and retreated back to my resting place of the previous night and whipped out my phone to find another text from "Bitches."

_Can't sleep, 2 x-cited 4 2-nite! Fangs. ^,…,^_

I smiled to myself, thinking back on my intense flashback as I spent the rest of the day sipping Organic pop from a warm can and flipping the channels on Aunt Libby's vintage television.

* * *

The doorbell couldn't ring soon enough, and the second I heard it I sprung off the couch like a dog that smelled the mailman coming up the sidewalk. I opened the door and greeted my girlfriends. "Aunt Libby! They're hereeeee!" I shouted, purposely trying to sound straight out of _Poltergeist._

Aunt Libby rushed into the room, thank goodness my friends seemed to adore Aunt Libby because they knew right away what I was about to say when they saw Aunt Libby barreling towards the door with her purse and car keys, so there really was no need to utter anything on the subject. They seemed pleased and didn't question a thing as we made our way down through the apartment complex and into Aunt Libby's white Punch Buggy. Onyx and Scarlet playfully punched each other like Neanderthals in the backseat whilst Aunt Libby and I inhabited the front. She pulled out and started driving us down the very illuminated streets of Hipsterville until we reached downtown, where the streets were lined with fancy boutiques, as well as unique, vintage and sometimes even alternative little shops. Everyone was out and about in their fall daylight savings time gear, since it was merely five in the evening and the moon was already high in the sky. We pulled over onto the side of the road in the first spot she could find and squeeze her cute little motor vehicle in. We all hopped out, and my aunt and I decided to let Onyx and Scarlet lead the way.

After walking a few car-lined blocks, we ended up at a swank little privately-owned bridal shop. I already told Onyx and Scarlet…excuse me, I was texting them about this today, so _Bitches, _about my marrying desires and they were just as giddy as I was to go and pick out a wedding dress.

As soon as we opened the doors we were bombarded by a lady, late-twenties with long blonde hair and black-rimmed Clark Kent glasses. She sported a casual tan dress and comfort flats perfect for working in.

"Hi! My name is Hillary, and I'll be happy to help you today," she said in an overly-dramatic-I'm-gonna-sell-a-one-thousand-doll ar-dress-tonight-to-these-bitches-tonight. Although she was all-too peppy for my taste, she was unlike the girls in Dullsville. She had this geeky-chic air to her and I was happy to have her helping us out tonight as she led us through the racks and racks of puffy white princess bridal gowns to rib-slicing trumpet gowns to skimpy bridesmaids dresses. "What can I help you guys find tonight?"

"Well…" Aunt Libby stated, lacing her arm around my black-clad shoulders. "My niece is getting married soon and we're looking for a dress." Hillary ogled my outfit, unsure if there would be anything in this snow-white store that would fit my tastes. Of course I wanted something black. We pretty much already indirectly established that.

"I think we'll just start browsing on our own," Scarlet boldly told the petite blondie.

"Sounds great, come and grab me if you need any help!" And with that, Hillary disappeared half out of sight. All of a sudden I felt my _Corpse Bride _clutch vibrate. I pulled it out in a flash, hoping to see my Gothic Prince's name on the screen and I got my wish. He texted me. Not only that, but he was "home!"

_Flight landed a half-hour ago, are you at your Aunt's?_

I ignored my Aunt and my two darkling friends to quickly answer him back. My excited thumbs couldn't move fast enough to text him back.

_No, I'm not._

That was all I could really think to reply with at the moment. I mean, Alexander would crap his pants if I told him I was at a bridal shop _already. _I should just wait until I get home to see him.

Knowing I was going to neglect him until my night of femme-fun was over made my stomach churn. It just didn't feel right doing such a thing to my love, especially one that was coming all the way back from Romania just because he was worried about me.

I just wanted him to understand my feelings and desires, but texting him about them wouldn't be the right way to go about it. I shut off my phone and slipped it back into my purse and turned my attention back to the girls pawning over the thousands of dresses in the store. Onyx and Scarlet had already had armfuls of dresses to try on as they assumed right away that I'd make them my bridesmaids, so I simply let them off with a smile after they gave me the pleading puppy dog faces that just screamed, "I'm so sorry we're picking our dresses before the bride gets to pick hers."

I sat in the shoe section of the store on one of those makeshift ottoman seats while they tried on their dresses together in the Handicap fitting area. It almost reminded me of someone else I'd do that with…at the Deb shops at Dullsville mall when the dresses went on sale…..

I closed my eyes and cupped my face in my hands and Aunt Libby snaked her arms around me and pulled me close, indirectly demanding to know what had me down all of a sudden.

"I just don't want Alexander to be mad at me," I told her sheepishly and she immediately shook her head.

"He won't be."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I saw the way he looks at you back when I took you two to that art festival when I was dating Devon. He's irrevocably in love with you and I can tell you're going to have to stir up a lot more trouble than buying a wedding gown to make that man fight you."

I smiled up at her. "You're right, Aunt Libby."

She hugged me gently enough not to cause an emotionally-drippy-family-love-scene in the middle of the boutique and our moment was immediately interrupted when Onyx and Scarlet bust out of the stall with Gothic pride in some loud dresses. I mean, they were certainly _loud. _Not to mention shorter than a bald guy's hairdo!

They were simple strapless cutoff dresses, black fabric that went just past their respective asses.

"Guys, you're going to a _wedding," _I half-scolded them. "Not Alexander's bachelor party!"

Just then we all erupted into a fit of giggles at my snarky remarks. The girls twirled around in their tight dresses, which was a pointless maneuver to be perfectly clear, mainly because the dresses didn't flow with them. They just stuck to their butt's like super glue.

"Raven, we promise we'll pair them with fishnet stockings!" Scarlet pleaded as Onyx checked out her bust in the tri-fold mirror over in the corner. I laughed at their desperation.

"Yeah, is that Trevor kid gonna be there?" Onyx asked. "Or Jagger, maybe?"

"Uh….." I trailed off. _Shit! _I haven't even thought of the guest list yet!

We were rudely interrupted by Hillary's sudden presence and her eyes bugging out when she saw my two lovelies twirl around in stripper-worthy dresses.

"Heels!" They exclaimed in unison as they ran over to the shoe rack to examine the selection of pumps, ranging from flat to eight inches or some other obnoxious length. I smiled to myself and I walked over to the first rack of dresses I could find.

_Jesus, not a single black dress in this store! _I thought to myself as I examined the wide selection of gowns. _Not even a silver, or at least a red!_

Just when I started thinking I'd have to buy a white one and dye it black and sew on studs something equally as perfect caught my eye. It wasn't black. It was traditionally white, but it fit both my mother's wishes in mine. The dress was strapless and pure white, almost flowing like silk at the bottom that led to a long sweeping train in the back. In the midsection was a black sash-like tie sewed on, and when you turned it around, the bow-tie in the back of flowed all the way down to the end of the train, like a gracious black-on-white stripe. Not a skunk, because this dress was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for me. "Aunt Libby!" I yelled, running through the store in a desperate attempt to find my aunt. I ran past the two Gothic beauties now on their cell phones giggling at each other over the texts I finally found her and grabbed her frail wrist and yanked her out of a rack of poofy white dresses, much to her dismay and surprise. "Look!" I modeled the gown in front of me, beaming from my find.

"Gorgeous! Did you try it on yet?"

"No, I was waiting for you," I teased and she and Hillary happily urged me into the fitting room made for ladies trying on gowns. I stripped and did my best to shield myself from Hillary's baby blue eyes as she fit the gown onto my pallid body. As she zipped the back I gasped from a little tightness, then instantly relaxed when I saw their faces.

"This dress is _perfect _ for you!"

"So beautiful."

"Gracious."

"Stunning."

"Like a snow-white-queen," I grinned like a dork at Aunt Libby's last compliment.

"And I have _just _the veil for you!" Hillary disappeared and returned before I knew it after retrieving the perfect veil to go with this dress. The veil was black lace with black faux diamonds lining the crown. She placed it upon my head and I felt the delicate fabric cascade down my back along with my perfect wedding dress. We stepped outside to look in the tri-fold mirror and to present myself to the others. They looked absolutely awe-struck when they saw me, which just made me smile even more.

I looked in the mirror and, for probably the first time in my life, I found myself to be absolutely, drop-dead fucking gorgeous. The dress was tight yet fitting and the veil made everything perfect. I twirled around happily in my dress like I was playing the role of Belle in Disney World. I guess since Alexander is a vampire, you can say this is like the beauty marrying the beast in this case. Except this beast is the sexiest man on Earth!

…not that there are sexier men on Jupiter or anything.

I was too busy admiring myself in the mirror to notice the missing reflection of the man who just stepped in.

"Hey, Alexander!" Onyx and Scarlet cooed and I whipped my whole body around, feeling my heart about to pop out of my chest.

Alexander fixed his eyes on me and he simply didn't look away. I couldn't make out his expression or emotions or even have the slightest idea of what was going through my Knight of the Night's mind. I was just freaking out. I looked at my girlfriends.

"I guess we should have told you, that when you were looking at dresses, he texted us asking if we knew where you were..." Onyx said.

"…and that we told him." Scarlet finished her sentence lightly.

_I knew they were up to something when I passed them giggling like hyenas on their phones! Oh how I could drive a stake through each of their hearts for doing that..._

"Raven..."

"Alexander, I'm so sorry!" I started to take a step towards my Gothic Guy, looking sexy as ever with his windblown hair, a v-neck white shirt and black studded jeans complete with combat boots. But I stopped when he stood there, frozen, in space in time…

"I've never seen a more beautiful woman in my life. I love you, Raven Madison."

**So, how'd you guys like my long-ass chapter full of fluff? Please just fill out that little review box down there. More reviews = less days until the next update! (Remember, I promised I'd finish It this time!)**


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